Corn-harvester



CORN HARVESTER.

No. 468,832. Patented Feb. 16,1892.

FIG-I a "cam: r zrzns col, menu-Luna, msmrmwrl, pic.

nm N I L R E B T E S n J CORN HARVESTER.

N0.4468,832. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

IP IQ FIG 2- M- Jihrneya. 7

ma mums yams an, mom-mum, wAsulNGTuM, a c

5 G N I L R E B I E S u CORN HARVESTER.

N0. 168;832. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

FIG

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-wheat 4. J. F. SEIBERLING.

, CORN HARVESTER. No. 468,832. Patented Feb. 16,1892.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 5.

J. F. SEIBERLING. 001m HARVESTER.

No. 468,832.. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

J QHN F. SEIBERLING, OF AKRON, OHIO.

CORN-HARVESTER.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,832, dated February 16, 1892.v Application filed April 21, 1891. Serial No. 389,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. SEIBERLING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corn-Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specificat-ion.

My improvement relates to that class of machines arranged to out two rows of corn simultaneously, and has for its object the delivery of the corn in a standing or upright position by chain conveyers to a binder receptacle and dropper, where it is bound by an automatic binder mechanism and then de posited in standing position on the ground. The means employed for this purpose will be understoodfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 Figure 1 is a plan view of a corn-harvester with myimprovements in part applied. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the preferred arrangement of the cutters with the draft attachment removed and the binder-receptacle and dropper applied. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig.4 is a rear elevation, of the machine. Fig. 5 is a plan view with the chain conveyers and other parts removed to more clearly show the devices beneath them. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the adjustable cornguides, and Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 detail views of parts hereinafter described. Fig. 13 is a plan view, and Fig. 14c a side elevation, of so much of the binder mechanism as is necessary to show the knotter-actuating devices.

A indicates an axle-bar made in the form of a double crank or having uprights at its ends to which the short axles a a are adjust ably secured in any suitable manner, thereby depressing the main body of the bar, which forms also the main transverse sill of the machine'frame, to the desired proximity with the ground. To the bar A longitudinal side bars A A are connect-ed, and to these additional transverse bars A are attached in front and,rear of the bar A to form the rectangular main frame, on which the working parts of the machine are mounted. This frame is further stiffened by obliquely-arranged. bars A converging forwardly to the center of the width of the frame, where they unite, the shafts 0 being adjustably connected therewith, as shown.

B B indicate the carrying and driving wheels, mounted loosely on the axles a CL and carrying each a spur-gear b, with which pinions on a transverse shaft 1) engage for actuating said shaft, which in turn, through suitable gearing, drives the crank-shaft b actuating the cutters, and a short secondary shaft 19 which actuates the chain conveyer shafts and binder mechanisms, as will appear.

In suitable bearings on the rear transverse bar A are stepped upright shafts D D for actuating the chain conveyers and an intermediate upright binder-shaft D. These shafts are journaled at or near their upper ends in upright sleeves e and e e, formed one at the center and one at each end of the cross-head of a T-shaped yoke E, (see Fig. 8,) the longitudinally-arranged arm or stem E of which curves forward and upward from the sleeve 6 and has its horizontal forward end slotted longitudinally at 8 for a purpose which will appear.

The shafts D D are each provided with sprocket-wheels d, d, and d for actuating the chain conveyers, and beneath the sprocketwheels at each shaft D has a driving bevelgear (1 fast on it, which gears engage and are driven by bevel-pinions on the ends of the short transverse shaft Z2 the latter being actuated by spur-gears connecting it with the shaft Z), as shown in Figs. 4: and 5. The upper sprocket-wheels d instead of being fast directly on the shaft D, are each secured on a sleeve D which has a grooved or polygonal bore adapting it to slide up and down on the upper end of its shaft D, which is feathered or polygonal in form to match and drive the sleeve and its sprocket-wheel d Directly under the sprocket-wheels are located guide-frame pieces or planks F, F, and F which are pivotally supportedat their rear ends on the shafts D, said planks extending forward horizontally, the upper ones diminishing in length and each carrying a chainpulley f, journaled on a short upright stud f near the forward end of the plank, around which pulleys the toothed chain conveyersf pass, actuated from the sprocket-wheels d, d, and 01 These planks are rounded on their outer faces or edges to a .point at their forward ends and form the inner guide-bars for the stalks. The lower plank F rests on the machine-frame, and to its front end is secured the inclined post G to which the front ends of the plank F are secured. To the upper end of the post G the short post G is secured, and to the latter the front end of the plank F is adjustably connected. Along the upper side of the curved edge of the plank are raised ribs F against the outer side of which the sprocket-chains rest, and thus travel to do their work. The outer guide-bars G G G2 are curved on their inner 7 is shown detached in Fig. 6.

edges to conform in the main to the curve of the outer edges of the boards F, F, and F the upper ones being made shorter, like the latter, and rounded outward to a point at their forward ends to give a broad gathering mouth or entrance between the guide-boards. One of the lower pairs of these guide-boards They are connected near the center of their length by-a transverse bar or strap g, rigidly secured to their lower faces and near their rear ends by a similar cross-bang, these bars conuectin g the guide-bars of said pair rigidly, so that they 'will swing together when the bar F is vibrated on the shaft D. The forward ends of the points of the bars G, G, and G like the forward ends of the planks F, F, and F are connected by uprights G inclined rearwa'rdly to conform to the shortening of the upper bars, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the upper guide-bar G instead of being connected directly and rigidly to the inclined standard G is adjustably connected by a pin with a perforated upright G connecting the upper end of standard G with the guide G, this arrangement permitting the vertical adjustment of the upper pairs of guide-bars F G to adapt them to the height of the stalks to be operated upon. The center cross-bar 9 extends outside of the guide G, and has a standard 9 secured to said extended end and rising in close proximity with the outer edges of the guides, each of which has a curved spring-bar G rigidly secured to its forward end, said spring-bars extending back above and over the inner edge of its guide-board and conforming in shape thereto. These spring-bars are connected at or near the center of their length with the standards 9 by rods 9 surrounded by spiral springs g, which serve to press the spring-bars G inward for crowding the stalks against and holding them in engagementwith the teeth of the chain conveyers, which may be of any usual or preferred construction. The inner ends of the crossbars 9 are also extend ed in the form of a short rod 9 which passes through an eye It in the lower end of a lever h, pivoted to a rack-standard H, (see Fig. 7,) with which a thumb-latch attached to a lever engages for holding-said lever, and with it the grain guides or guards F and G, at any desired adjustment. The handle-rod end g of bar g extends through and beyond the lever h, and between said 1ever and a pin in the end of the rod 9 on one side and the lever and guide-board F on the other side of the lever springs g are arranged, which permit the guards to yield laterally under the action of the stalks as they enter the guide-points before they are cut.

The heel ends of the guard-boards F, F, and F are provided with curved stripper rods or bars fi'which extend around and inward behind the sprocket-wheels and diverge therefrom sufficiently to strip the stalks from the chain conveyers. upper spring-bar G with the standard g passes through a vertical slot 1' in the latter, (see Fig. 3,) which permits its vertical adjust-- ment. The upper chain conveyerand binder The rod g connecting the are adjusted by means of a lever I, pivoted to v a bracket 2" on a standard 1, secured to the axle-bar or main frame and passingu p through an eye or slot 6 in the stem E of the yoke E, and serving thereby to steady the latter. A pin on the rear end of lever I at t enters a slot in the yoke E near the sleeve 2, and the forward arm of the lever, passing the post I, is held at the desired adjustment by means of a pin inserted in any one of a series of perforations at 2' in said post.

The crank-shaft b is provided in advance of the bevel-pinion actuating it with abevelpinion at j, which engages a bevel-wheel formed on the lower face of a crank-disk J, journaled onv an upright stud supported in any suitable manner on the axle-bar A. A crank-army" on this diskJ is connected by a rod J with a crank-arm 9' on the binder-shaft .D, and serves as the disk is rotated to vibrate TOC 71;, which at its forward end has a pendent V spur at M, which enters and is adapted to slide forward and backward in the slot 6 The rear end of the arm or link 70 is pivoted to the knotter-arm K, which is journaled loosely on the sleeve Dithe arrangement described serving to vibrate the knotter-arm simultaneously with but in an opposite direction from the binder-arm. The binder and knotter mechanism may be of any usual or preferred form or type operating in connection'with vibrating binder and knotter arms. Inoperation thesearms are broughtinto the position shown in Fig. 1 forbinding the stalks, but when separated to discharge the bundle and to receive the stalks for another are swung forward into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the ends of said arms are brought inside of the vertical planes of the operative sides of the chain co'nveyers, thereby permitting the stalks to pass them and to its forms the bottom of said receptacle.

N N are the cutoff bars, pivoted at their forward ends to the frame-pieces F, F, and

- F one to each, near their outer operative faces, as shown, and extending back to the chain sprocket-wheels. The rear ends of these bars are slotted longitudinally at n, and a spur on a crank it on the vibrating upright shafts N, pivoted on the guard F, enters said slot, other arms of the shafts N being connected by links 01 with a crank-arm n on the bindershaft D, the arrangement being such that when the binder and knotter arms are vibrated to grasp and bind the corn in the receptacle, the cut-off arms N will be swung outward to crowd the incoming stalks out of the teeth of the chain conveyers, and so pre-. vent their being fed to the binder-receptacle .until the operation of binding the bundle is completed and the knotter and binder arms are swung back to permit the passage of the corn, as explained.

The com pressor'arms Z Zare fast each on the upper end of an inclined shaft L, stepped at its lower end in any suitable bearing on the machine-frame, one on each side of the dropper and journaled near its upper end in a bearing on the inner end of an angular horizontal barlfi, supported by inclined and suitably-braced standards L. The outer forwardly-bent ends of the bars L project under the rear ends of the upper guide-bars G and serve to guide the cornstalks from said ends inward to the binder-receptacle. The shafts L are provided near their lower ends with crank-arms Z, connected by links Z with the upper ends of vertically-vibrating levers Z The lower arms of these levers Z are curved inward and provided on their inner ends with forwardly-projecting pins or spurs, which enter horizontal slots Z in plates or arms Z on the ends of the dropper-platform sill M.

The dropper-platform M is composed of a series of longitudinally-arranged slats m m, each provided at its forward end and at one side thereof with a pivotal extension m, which is journaled in an eye bearing in the' sill M, and has a crank-arm m formed on its forward end, (see Figs 9 and 10,) the pin m of which enters one of a series of inclined slots 0 in a cam-plate 0,- (see Figs. 11 and 12,) secured to the rear transverse frame-sill. The plate 0 has a slot for each slat of the dropper, and each slat has a crank engaging one of the slots 0. The dropper-sill M is secured to the rear ends of two arms M M which at their forward ends. are pivoted to the machine frame bars in any suitable manner, as indicated in Fig. 9. Any usual orsuitable means may be employed for tripping the dropper and allowing its rear end to drop with the weight of the shock or bundle upon it on the ground. As the dropper descends, the crank-pins m engaging the cam-slots 0 in the cam-plate 0, will cause the slats m to be rocked down from the horizontal position shown in Figs. 2 and 10 and in full lines, Fig. 3, to the vertical position, or one on edge, shown in Fig. 9 and in dotted lines, Figs. 3 and 4:, in which the butts of the stalks will pass between the slats and rest on the ground, leaving the shock standing, while the machine advances, drawing the slats from beneath it. As the dropper descends, the slotted arms Z on the dropper-sill act on the levers Z and through said levers and their connections with the shafts L on the compressor-arms Z Z,

vibrating the latter out of the way and releasing the shock or bundle, and as the dropper is raised to again receive the stalks the compressor-arms will be simultaneously returned to position to receive and compress the tops thereof. Any usual or suitable means may be employed for returning the dropper to its position for receiving the corn.

In Fig. 1 the cutters P P are shown arranged in the same transverse vertical plane, in which case they would be operated from a single crank on the shaft 11 but as this involves the simultaneous cutting of the hills in two rows, it is preferred to set one cutter enough in advance of the other, as indicated in Fig. 2, to enable the machine to cut the stalks of a hill in one row before it begins to act on those of the other row, thereby equalizing the labor and reducing the strain on'the machine. This of course makes it necessary to provide the crank-shaft with two cranks s s and independent connecting-rods t t,'as shown in said Fig.2. The cranks s and s are set opposite each other on the shaftlb causing the two short knife-bars to..1nove in opposite directions, the weight or momentum of one counterbalancing that of the other, thereby making the work of the crank-shaftmuch lighter than where a single long knifebar is made to operate on both rows of corn.

The operation of the parts will be readily understood without further description. The cornstalks are caught between the grain guards or guides F and G and are upheld by them as the machine advances to cut them, after which they are carried back by the chain conveyers to the common binder receptacle and dropper in astanding position. They are then bound near the tops, the binder-arms being made adjustable, as described, for that purpose, after which the shock or bundle is deposited and left standing on the ground, as described.

The means for actuating the knotter are shown in Figs. 13 and let, Uindicating an extensible tumbling-shaft connected by a uni-- versal joint with a spur-gear J in mesh with and driven by the crank-wheel J. The upper end of this shaft is connected by a uni: versal joint with a short upright extension journaled in the swinging knotter-arm K and carrying a bevel pinion u on its upper swinging of the knotter-arm and also to the I adjustment of the height of the binder mechanism, as explained.

Having thus described my invention, I;

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a corn-harvester, a conveyer consist ing of a series of horizontally-moving toothed chains arranged to move the cornstalks from 1 the cutters to a receptacle in an upright position and means to laterally adjust the front end of the conveyer, for the purpose stated.

2. In a corn-harvester, a conveyer consisting of a series of horizontally-movingtoothed chains and having grain-guides F and G extending forward of the cutters, in combination with means for adjustingthe forward ends of said. conveyers and guides and springs ar ranged to allow said grain-guides to yield laterally independently of the adjusting devices, for the purpose stated.

3. The combination of the chain conveyers f 2 f having grain-guides F and G, thelevers 71., and the springs g g, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the two series of horizontally-moving toothed chains f with their guides F and G, pivotally supported at their rear endsv and arranged to convey the corn in an upright position from the cutters to a common receptacle, and the spring-bars G to hold the corn in contact with said chains, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the two series of conveying toothed chains f, the pivotallysupported guides F and G therefor, the springbars G the springs 9 and the bearing-posts 9 substantially as described.

6. Chain conveyers and grain-guides operating in connection therewith pivotally supported at each side of and in combination with the interposed automatic binder mechanism, and a common receptacle in rear of said binder mechanism in which the corn is bound, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the pivotally-supported chain conveyersf f and grain-guides G G, operating in connection therewith, arranged to convey the corn in a standing position from the cutters into a common receptacle, an automatic binder located intermediate the rearends of said conveyers and arranged to bind the corn in said receptacle, and a dropper adapted to drop the bound conveyors to bind the grain in said receptacle,

and cut-off arms N, also located between the conveyors and connected with said binder, to operate simultaneously with the movements of the binder, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the series of pivotally-supported toothed conveying-chains f f and guide -bars G, G, and G operating in connection therewith, the sprocket-wheels d d 01 the vertical shaft D therefor, the sprocket-Wheel (1 being made adjustable on said shaft, substantially as described.

10. Automatic conveyors pivotall-y supported, one on each side of the machine, and arranged to convey the corn from two rows in a standing position from the cutters to a commonreceptacle, in combination with an automatic binder located between said conveyors and arranged to bind the corn in said receptacle and made adjustable vertically, substantially as described.

11. The combination of the vertically adj ustable hinder, the upper conveying toothed chain, the vertical shafts D, and thesprocketwheels (1 said chain and sprocket-wheels being adapted to be adjusted vertically with said binder, substantially as described.

12. The combination ofthe two conveyers arranged to convey two rows of corn in a standing position from the cutters into a com mon receptacle on the rear end of the main frame, the automatic binder arranged'between the rear ends of said conveyers, and the vibrating needle and the vibrating 'knotter-head, both arranged to swing within the path of the conveyers, substantially as described.

13. The combination of the dropper-slats m, journaled at one end in the dropper-sill, the crank-arms m, connected to said journaled ends, and the slotted cam-plate-O for rocking said slats, for the purpose stated.

14. In a corn-harvester adapted to operate on two rowsof corn, separate cutters therefor arranged at right angles to the path of the machine in parallel planes, one in advance of the other, so as to operate on the rows alternately, in combination with separate cranks for actuating said cutters, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day April, A. I). 1891.

JNO. F. SEIBERLING. N'Vitnesses:

II. S. STETLER, A. L. DICKINSON. 

